Measure AA too close to call

By Jason Green

Daily News Staff Writer

Posted:
06/03/2014 10:37:10 PM PDT

Updated:
06/05/2014 05:48:12 AM PDT

Click photo to enlarge

At the summit of Mount Umunhum, April 23, 2014. Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is beginning restoration and trail work at the site of the former Almaden Air Force Station. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)

A measure that would give the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District the authority to issue up to $300 million in general obligation bonds was too close to call early Wednesday morning.

As of 12:30 a.m., approximately 66.7 percent of the 69,893 votes counted so far in 17 cities that comprise the district were for Measure AA, which needs a two-thirds majority to pass.

Proceeds from the bonds would be used to fund 25 projects in a "vision plan" created by the district with extensive public input, according to district officials. The projects range from acquiring additional land to building new trails to preserving old-growth redwood forests.

District officials said property taxes would increase by no more than $3.18 per $100,000 of assessed value.

In other words, the owner of a home valued at $1 million would pay roughly $30 per year. But that would be on top of $17 per $100,000 of assessed value homeowners already pay to the district.

The Silicon Valley Taxpayers Association emerged as the chief opponent of Measure AA. President Mark W.A. Hinkle said it would end up costing taxpayers much more than $300 million.

"I'm not going to have to pay the tax because I don't live in the district," Hinkle said in a phone interview late Tuesday night. "But I feel sorry for the people who will. They're going to have to spend half a billion dollars turning open space into open space. What a travesty."

Hinkle, however, wasn't ready to concede defeat.

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"I don't think the fat lady has sung yet," he said.

Proponents of the measure pointed to the results as proof that residents care deeply about open space.

"Being in the range of 67 percent at this point, even though we can't say where we'll end up at the end of the night or even in several days, is an incredible testimony to the level of support we have for the protection for our beautiful area," said Walter Moore, president of the Peninsula Open Space Trust.

Like Hinkle, Moore wasn't ready to call the election one way or the other.

"We remain hopeful and believe we're headed in the right direction," said Moore, whose Palo Alto-based organization contributed more than $405,000 to the Yes on Measure AA campaign.

Measure backers raised a total of $827,817 between Jan. 1 and May 17, according to campaign finance statements.

In Santa Clara County, nearly 67.5 percent of the 43,720 votes counted as of 12:30 a.m. were for the measure, but that was with 193 of 296 precincts reporting. In San Mateo County, about 66 percent of the 26,622 votes cast were for the measure. And the single vote cast in Santa Cruz County was for the measure.

Created by voters in 1972, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District oversees approximately 62,000 acres of open space in 26 preserves in the three counties. The 17 cities that comprise the district are: Atherton, East Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay, Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Carlos, Woodside, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Saratoga and Sunnyvale.